EX1: Anyone using the Line In with a stereo mixer?

[John Peterson]

Not sure if mine is working properly.

Used a Behringer Eurorack MXB1002 Stereo Mixer for years with my VX2000 with no problems. Two 1/4 inch balanced Main outputs at +28dBU unbalanced or +22dBu balanced to an XLR plug, XLR extension to VX2000, then XLR to 3.5 stereo mini into VX2000 camera. VX2000 Mic/Line switch was set to Line and it always worked perfectly. Main Output slider from mixer was set to -10dB most of the time for great sound.

With the EX1, I just tried it last weekend into Channel 2 with Channel 2 set to Line. Second switch set to Ext.

Channel 1 was the on board Mic. Channel 1 set to Mic. Second switch set to Int.

Channel 2 (Mixer) was barely audible on either Auto Gain or Manual. So I tried combining the L and R outputs from the mixer into an XLR to send it to Channel 2 on the camera and it was the same. I ended up setting the switch to Mic (and EXT) instead of Line just to get audible sound from the mixer which of course clipped the sound on Channel 2 pretty badly at times.

Am I missing a setting for the Line Input? EX1 manual says the Line input is +4dBu. With + 28dBu coming out of the mixer, the last thing I would think was that it would be muted.

What has been your experience with the Line Input on this camera?

Thanks in advance.

John

[Nick Wilson]

I've used line in with a couple of Sennheiser G2 receivers. I normally set the AF Out to +12 and that works fine.

N

[Vincent Mesman]

I just got my Sound Devices 702. When I connected it to the EX1 I noticed the camera recorded the wrong audio inputs: 1 ext line and 1 int mic.

It turned out that I had to reset the camera to factory defaults in order to get the new menu items that were promised with the latest upgrade.

After resetting the EX1 selected the right inputs and I'm able to use the new menu items concerning pre-amplifying the audio levels.

Great upgrade!

[John Peterson]

Originally Posted by Vincent Mesman

I just got my Sound Devices 702. When I connected it to the EX1 I noticed the camera recorded the wrong audio inputs: 1 ext line and 1 int mic.

It turned out that I had to reset the camera to factory defaults in order to get the new menu items that were promised with the latest upgrade.

After resetting the EX1 selected the right inputs and I'm able to use the new menu items concerning pre-amplifying the audio levels.

Great upgrade!

Are you saying that the Line In has settings for it in the menu?

John

[Mitchell Lewis]

Have you tried switching to MIC and adjusting the TRIM setting in the MENU>AUDIO>TRIM?

I couldn't get enough level from the mixing board (it was close, but not quite enough). Switching to MIC and adjusting the internal TRIM settings allowed me to set the volume knob to 5 and I still got a great level.

Where are you getting the +28dbu number from? The level meters? That's not the same thing as +4db.

EDIT: I should add that I'm using an EX3 (should be identical to the EX1) and I've plugged into a external mixer twice now with perfect results. (MUCH better than with our old Canon XL-1S) Once was running off the battery and the other running off the Sony power supply. Surprisingly I had no hum or buzz issues at all.

[John Peterson]

Originally Posted by Mitchell Lewis

Have you tried switching to MIC and adjusting the TRIM setting in the MENU>AUDIO>TRIM?

I couldn't get enough level from the mixing board (it was close, but not quite enough). Switching to MIC and adjusting the internal TRIM settings allowed me to set the volume knob to 5 and I still got a great level.

Where are you getting the +28dbu number from? The level meters? That's not the same thing as +4db.

EDIT: I should add that I'm using an EX3 (should be identical to the EX1) and I've plugged into a external mixer twice now with perfect results. (MUCH better than with our old Canon XL-1S) Once was running off the battery and the other running off the Sony power supply. Surprisingly I had no hum or buzz issues at all.

The +28dBu came from Behringer's specs for Unbalanced Output. They state +22dBu for Balanced Output.

I see no adjustments in the menu for the Line Input of the EX1 and I think it is the same on the EX3.

I could try Mic In and adjust the Trim in the menu as you say. I do know that the "5" on the volume knob is equal to 0 dB and that after doing some research it is recommended to leave it at "5" and never to exceed "6" or the limiters kick in suddenly.

What did you set the Trim for when coming off the mixer?

Which mixer do you have?

What is it's rated main output in dBu?

Did you hook it up to only one channel on the camera or was it both?

Thanks for the responses.

John

[Mitchell Lewis]

Here's what you need to do.

1) Send something that reads 0VU on the meters of the mixer. Tone, music, what ever.
2) Connect the EX1 to one of the XLR main outputs of the mixer (could also use Aux out or Monitor out if you want level control, but that's a more complicated setup)
3) Set the input on your EX1 to MIC
4) Set the volume knob to 5 (just for a mid-range setting)
5) Go into the MENU>AUDIO>TRIM and adjust the Trim setting so you get approx. 0VU on the EX1 meters in the viewfinder.

That should do it as long as you're sending the EX1 a balanced, low impedence signal, which it sounds like you are. (XLR)

What's weird, is that you would think that the LINE setting would be more appropriate, but for some stupid reason Sony doesn't allow you to set TRIM in the LINE setting. Weird.

[Bob Grant]

Originally Posted by Mitchell Lewis

What's weird, is that you would think that the LINE setting would be more appropriate, but for some stupid reason Sony doesn't allow you to set TRIM in the LINE setting. Weird.

Agreed and this problem applies to all the Sony cameras with XLR inputs that I've tried.
Never once have I had a feed from a desk that comes remotely close to +4dBm and for obvious reasons. So I'm stuck having to use the XLR inputs at Mic except the feed from the desk can be perilously close to too hot for a Mic input. A couple of pads have saved my bacon more than once.

I could use Line with a feed from a proper field mixer (Wendt) with the camera's gain pots at 10.

[Mitchell Lewis]

That was exactly what I ran into. I could use the LINE input if I had the volume knob set to 10. But it really wasn't quite enough level. So I nervously switched to MIC, which allowed me to use the MENU>TRIM settings and surprisingly, it worked perfectly.

[Mitchell Lewis]

I thought of this thread while I was laughing at myself today on a shoot. I connected our wired lapel mic to our EX3, plugged in the headphones and asked our interview to count to 10 so I could get an audio level. I adjusted up the volume knob...nothing. No sound. I double checked my connections...I had the input set to MIC w/phantom power turned on. I had the AUDIO SELECT switch set to EXT. Nothing. I was really stumped. But then I remembered the MENU>TRIM setting. It was set to -11 dbu. Could that be it? I turned it up to -59 dbu and suddenly I was hearing room tone! That was it. I had left the trim turned all the way down (-11 dbu) from my last shoot when I was connected to a mixing board, and I needed it turned almost all the way up to -59 dbu for use with our Sony ECM-77 lapel mic.

Just a reminder so you all don't make the same mistake I did. :)